IN CONFIDENCE THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD BLB 12/36 THE BRITISH LIBRARY S 2011 STAFF SURVEY ACTION PLANS 1. PURPOSE OF THE PAPER The paper provides an update to the Board on the development of action plans to address the findings of the Library s 2011 Staff Survey, the results of which were presented to the Board in February 2012. The paper: recaps the key findings of the survey; provides a summary of activity undertaken to develop the action plans; and details the corporate and directorate action plans and how they will be evaluated. 2. SUMMARY The 2011 survey uses The Work Foundation s employee engagement model to measure the degree to which staff feel committed to the Library and are prepared to go the extra mile. The model is valuable because research shows that high levels of engagement result in high levels of performance. The results of the survey show that staff engagement has reduced slightly since 2008. The Library s engagement index is 70.0 on a scale of 0-100 compared to 73.5 in 2008. Between mid-january and mid-march, each Director and their senior leadership teams briefed and consulted their staff on the corporate and directorate survey findings. The engagement model has enabled the Library to focus the resulting action plans on the factors which matter most to staff, which require the greatest improvement, and which the Library can influence. The paper highlights the corporate and directorate staff survey action plans which were approved by the Executive Team and subsequently published on the intranet to staff on 30 March. The staff survey action plans implementation forms part of the Library s corporate business plan and will be monitored quarterly through the corporate reporting process. 3. ACTION REQUESTED OF THE BOARD The Board is invited to note the paper which is provided for information. Human Resources May 2012 1
IN CONFIDENCE THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD BLB 12/36 THE BRITISH LIBRARY S 2011 STAFF SURVEY ACTION PLANS 1 SUMMARY 1.1 This paper provides an update to the Board on the development of action plans to address the findings of the Library s 2011 Staff Survey, the results of which were presented to the Board in February 2012. The paper: Recaps the key findings of the survey provides a summary of activity undertaken to develop the action plans details the corporate and directorate action plans and how the implementation of the plans will be monitored and evaluated. 2 ACTION REQUIRED FROM THE BOARD 2.1 The paper is provided for information and the Board is asked to note the plans. 3 REPORT DETAIL 3.1 Recap of the key findings of the 2011 Staff Survey The 2011 survey uses the Work Foundation s employee engagement model to measure the degree to which staff feel committed to the Library and are prepared to go the extra mile. The model is valuable because research shows that high levels of engagement result in high levels of performance. The survey gauges which engagement drivers - such as Fulfilment At Work, Leadership and Change and Line Management - staff hold to be most important and therefore which have the most impact on performance. The results show how well each driver is working and enable the Library to focus attention on the areas which will make the most difference. The results of the survey show that staff engagement has reduced slightly since 2008. The Library s engagement index is 70.0 on a scale of 0-100 compared to 73.5 in 2008. Given the economic climate and the action the Library has had to take in response to public sector spending cuts in the intervening three years, this fall in engagement is perhaps unsurprising, although it is in line, with or slightly below, the Work Foundation s benchmarks nationally. However, while it is clear that staff pride in our brand and loyalty to the Library as an employer have reduced, there is encouragement in there being no significant decrease in the extent to which staff are still prepared to give their discretionary effort or go the extra mile for the Library. This should not mask the most significant areas for improvement, however, most notably in the engagement drivers of Leadership and Change and Fulfilment Through Work. The engagement model has therefore enabled the Library to focus our action plans on the factors which matter most to staff, which require the greatest improvement and which the Library can influence. 2
3.2 Reflection, consultation and action planning Following the publication of the survey results in early December 2011, senior leadership teams across the Library have reflected on the survey findings and on what the results signified for their directorates and the Library as a whole. In addition to the main survey report, each directorate received a traffic light report showing the degree to which the results in their directorate differed from the mean scores for the Library. Significant positive and negative variances from the Library mean scores were shown as green and red respectively. The traffic light reports also highlighted results for individual directorate teams of ten or more staff (to preserve individual confidentiality) and therefore enabled a focus on local as well as corporate findings. This granularity was vital in developing the understanding to create directorate action plans which address the real concerns of staff. 3.3 Staff Briefing and Consultation on Results Between mid-january and mid-march 2012 each director and their senior leadership teams briefed and consulted their staff on the corporate and directorate survey findings. While each directorate approached this in their own way according to the significance of their findings, the most common format was by a series of open fora providing the opportunity for staff to air their views and ask questions. In addition: The Trades Unions were briefed separately and offered the opportunity to ask questions. The Executive Team held three sessions to consider the implications of the survey corporately and to develop the corporate action plan. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) was briefed on the findings and involved in developing the corporate actions at their meeting in March. Directorate Leadership Teams used survey results and views of staff gathered during the consultation to develop their action plans. 3.4 Corporate and Directorate Action Plans 3.4.1 Mapping of actions to engagement drivers The corporate and directorate staff survey action plans were approved by ET and subsequently published on the intranet to staff on 30 March. Appendix 1 shows the extent to which the action plans address the engagement drivers. The primary focus of corporate and directorate actions is, appropriately, on the drivers which have a very strong impact on engagement: Fulfilment Through Work, in which the greatest scope for improvement was in personal and career development issues. Leadership and Change, which was the driver requiring most improvement in the survey. The secondary focus of the action plans is on the drivers with a substantial impact on engagement: Customer Service, where the concerns were found largely in Operations and Services. Community (principally concerned with the working environment and teamwork), which addressed local issues in certain directorates. Strategic Fit, which addresses the degree of awareness or connection staff have with what the Library is and does. 3
Line Management was the most significant driver of engagement in the 2008 survey and the major area of improvement since then so only one directorate action is proposed. There is a third set of actions focused on drivers with a low focus on engagement. This might appear to contradict the purpose of the engagement model - which is to direct action to where it will make the most difference - but these actions address concerns which, while they affect relatively small numbers of staff, are nonetheless heartfelt and will make a big difference to them. Reward and Recognition, finding different ways to recognise and reward staff appropriately according to the level of their contribution and to how they like to be recognised. Workload and Resources, to address pressures created by headcount reduction. 3.4.2 Corporate Action Plan Appendix 2 shows the Corporate Action Plan. The template used for the corporate and directorate action plans shows which engagement driver the actions address and the questions in the survey which generated the issues in that driver. Action owners and the dates for progress reporting are also included. The main themes of the corporate action plan, which focuses on the drivers of Leadership and Change, Fulfilment At Work and Community, are: Building stronger relationships between leaders and staff by improving the visibility of ET and senior managers. Making the Library and directorate plans for the future more meaningful to staff. Using plainer English to engage more staff in our communications. Highlighting and creating further staff development opportunities. Being kinder to each other and being more understanding of each other s pressures at a time of reduced resources. 3.4.3 Directorate Action Plans Appendix 3 shows the Directorate Action Plans: 3a 3b 3c 3d 3e 3f e-information Systems Finance & Corporate Services Human Resources & Chief Executive s Office Operations & Services Scholarship & Collections Strategic Marketing and Communications The directorate action plans focus collectively on the drivers shown in Appendix 1. The Scholarship and Collections action plan also includes actions arising from the S&C Review Evaluation. These have been included together to ensure consistency and focus. 3.4.4 Monitoring and evaluation The staff survey action plans implementation forms part of the Library s corporate business plan and will be monitored quarterly through the corporate reporting 4
process. Evaluation of the Library s overall progress in addressing the survey findings will be achieved through the next planned staff survey in 2013. At a high level, a 2013 survey will show whether engagement levels have risen or fallen against the index of 70.0 and, at an engagement driver level, which are most important to staff and which are working well. Staff will be kept informed about progress on implementing the actions so that a link can be maintained between the findings and improvements in working life. 4 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS The staff survey action plans are cost-neutral in as much as these actions will be undertaken by using existing resources and refocussing them where necessary. Many of the actions, such as increased leadership visibility, using plain English and highlighting development opportunities, are concerned with changing the way leaders and staff operate rather than spending additional time or money. 5 CONCLUSION The 2011 Staff Survey action plans focus most attention on the drivers which have the most impact on staff engagement and provide reassurance that the Library is taking appropriate steps to address the real concerns of staff at this time of change and reduced resources. Human Resources May 2012 5